JCTC | Robin's Resumes (r)

Anticipating the Job Market

Oct 13 2013

In my previous blog post, I talked about the opportunity that unemployment offers to envision and grasp your dream job. Once you know what your dream job looks like, the next step is to become more active in your job search and actually anticipate openings. You should be in contact not only with the companies you have researched, but also with recruiters and venture capitalists.

When you know the type of company you would like to work for, research the companies in your preferred location that match your criteria. As part of your research, see if you can discover where each company might be feeling pain. For example, a company that is expanding might not be advertising for a Human Resources professional now but will probably need one in the future. A company with a dated website and no presence on social media might be interested in hearing from someone who is an expert in website and social media marketing. When you have found the companies that match your criteria and uncovered a problem they may be having, send them your resume with a cover letter or email explaining why you feel you are a perfect match for them. Be sure to add information on the value you would bring to them if hired.

Recruiters and venture capitalists are always looking for active job seekers. Recruiters have many positions they need to fill for many different companies and often those positions are not advertised. Venture capitalists are looking to fill positions in the companies they work with to ensure that those companies succeed. Again, they may not advertise those positions.

You can also anticipate the job market by participating in LinkedIn and making sure that your profile matches your resume. Joining LinkedIn discussions and groups enables you to make connections with people, demonstrate your knowledge and find out more about the companies (and their employees) on your wish list.

Finally, you can anticipate the job market by working with a Certified Job and Career Transition Coach. As a Certified JCTC, I remain aware of what recruiters, venture capitalists and hiring managers require and can make sure that your resume contains the information that they are looking for now and in the future. Contact Robin’s Resumes® for more information.

Answers to Common Resume Questions

Apr 21 2013

As a professional resume writer, I am often asked the following questions:

Q. Everyone these days knows Microsoft Office. Should I mention Microsoft Office on my resume?

A. While Microsoft Office skills are common, some job postings and advertisements specify that the candidate must know Microsoft Office. You should definitely list Microsoft Office when the skill is required and should consider keeping it on your resume just in case. In addition, skill in some Microsoft products (such as Visio, Access, Publisher, and Project) is considered a bonus by many employers.

Q. If I’ve taken course work but not completed a degree, should I list the courses on my resume?

A. If your course work is related to or required by the job you are applying for, you should definitely list it. You may list the course work under Education or Professional Development, and/or as part of your Summary. Please contact me if you need help deciding how to handle course work on your resume.

Q. I can’t find job postings in my field at my level. What can I do?

A. It is time to network in person and to make sure your LinkedIn profile and other online information is properly supporting your job search. As a Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC) as well as a Certified Professional Resume Writer, I can help you with both your LinkedIn profile and with job search strategies.

Q. Can I use the same resume to apply for both civilian and government jobs?

A. Resume requirements for government jobs are very different from those for civilian jobs. For example, you must supply your social security number on federal resumes—but never on civilian resumes. Federal resumes follow a format that is much more complex than the format for civilian resumes. You may need a Certified Federal Resume Writer like me to guide you in applying for a government position.

Are you still concerned about your resume? Contact me today.

Transitioning to a New Industry: Does Your Resume Speak the Language?

Mar 24 2013

If you hope to transition your skills to a new industry, your resume must show that you understand the industry. To build that understanding, you should read job advertisements and relevant company websites. You are looking to find out:

The challenges your target industry faces and what skills you have that might transfer well to meeting those challenges.
Where gaps exist in your knowledge and how you might fill those gaps, perhaps through adult education or community college courses or through an internship or volunteer work.
The new information that should appear on your resume. For example, you might know a second language but not use it in your current job; however, if international travel is important in your target industry, your second language is now a critical addition to your resume.
The words that you need to understand, especially for the interview. If you are applying for a job in the healthcare industry, for example, do you know what HIPAA stands for?

As a Job and Career Transition Coach and someone who has reinvented her own career many times (from MIT student to engineer to project manager to professional resume writer), I understand the challenges of writing a resume for a new industry. Contact me today.

LinkedIn Endorsements: High Value in a Job Search

Jan 13 2013

LinkedIn now allows contacts to quickly endorse each other in their areas of expertise. The endorsement is one word and can be selected with the click of a button. Does it have any value? Wouldn’t a recommendation be better?

An endorsement is different than a recommendation.

LinkedIn is used by recruiters to search for candidates for positions via keywords, which in many cases are skills. Just like Applicant Tracking Systems, LinkedIn helps rank candidates based on how many of their skills match the job requirements.

With 175+ million profiles on LinkedIn, recruiters can now rely on endorsements to find folks who have the skills they need and speed up their search. The number of endorsements for each skill might also indicate the strength of the skill. Recruiters do not care if they find every candidate; all they need is a few candidates with exactly the right skills.

Once a profile is found, recommendations become more important. Recommendations are testimonials that validate a person’s skills. Unfortunately, if a person lacks endorsements, that person’s profile may never be found by recruiters and the recommendations might never be read.

As a Master Career Director (MCD) and certified Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC), I can help you decide which endorsements will bring you the kinds of job offers you want and make sure that your profile, resume, and cover letter will keep recruiters interested. Contact me today.

Do You Need More Than One Resume?

Dec 09 2012

Most people need more than one resume. They may have one main resume, but they need to tailor to every position they apply for, to match the specific requirements in an advertisement or job notice. For example, if you are applying for a job as a retail store manager, you wouldn’t ordinarily mention your sports hobbies. However, if the retail store sells sports equipment, your sports hobbies might be worth adding.

Multiple resumes are also important for individuals who have followed two career paths; for example, an individual has a degree in research science and a degree in business administration and is open to both research and business management positions. In that case, the individual might need three resumes: one strictly for research, one strictly for business management, and one for managing a research laboratory.

However, be careful about going after too many specialties. A job search is shorter and much more effective if you first evaluate what you want to do based on your interests and desires along with your skills, abilities, and experience.

Once you focus your job search, you may find some of your “specialties” are not relevant to the jobs that match your experience, skills, abilities, and what you want.

If you need help targeting your resume, please contact me. I am a Master Career Director (MCD) and certified Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC). I can help you focus your job search and your resume.